Sri Lanka

Latest Stories

Ousted Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe listens during an interview with the Associated Press at his official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Nov. 2, 2018. Wickremesinghe says there is credible evidence that his replacement is attempting to buy support in parliament ahead of an expected vote of confidence when it reconvenes. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

AP Interview: Sri Lanka’s ousted PM accuses rival of bribery

By EMILY SCHMALL and BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press

Sri Lankan prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa gestures as he addresses the staff after assuming duties as finance minister in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. President Maithripala Sirisena dismissed Ranil Wickremesinghe and his Cabinet on Friday and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa. On Saturday, Sirisena suspended Parliament in an apparent move to give Rajapaksa time to muster enough support to survive any no-confidence vote. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka president summons Parliament after PM turmoil

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press

Sri Lankan prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa waves to people after assuming duties as finance minister in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. President Maithripala Sirisena dismissed Ranil Wickremesinghe and his Cabinet on Friday and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa. On Saturday, Sirisena suspended Parliament in an apparent move to give Rajapaksa time to muster enough support to survive any no-confidence vote. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

US weighs in on political crisis in Sri Lanka

By MATTHEW PENNINGTON - Associated Press

A Sri Lankan woman walks past a notice board covered with posters carrying portraits of President Maithripala Sirisena and newly appointed Prime Minster Mahinda Rajapaksa at a street in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. Sri Lanka's president suspended Parliament even as the prime minister he fired the previous day claimed he has majority support, adding to a growing political crisis in the South Asian island nation. Posters read &quot; Our respect for the decision took on behalf of the country.&quot; (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Events in Sri Lankan politics leading up to current crisis

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press

Sri Lanka's sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe attends a media briefing at his official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Oct. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka official warns of violence from political crisis

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press

Sri Lanka's sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe holds a copy of the constitution of Sri Lanka as he attends a media briefing at his official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Oct. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

AP Explains: How Sri Lanka plunged into political crisis

By KRISHAN FRANCIS AND EMILY SCHMALL - Associated Press

A Sri Lankan woman walks past a notice board covered with posters carrying portraits of President Maithripala Sirisena and newly appointed Prime Minster Mahinda Rajapaksa at a street in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. Sri Lanka's president suspended Parliament even as the prime minister he fired the previous day claimed he has majority support, adding to a growing political crisis in the South Asian island nation. Posters read &quot; Our respect for the decision took on behalf of the country.&quot; (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka president: PM was sacked over assassination plot

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press

Supporters of sacked Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickeremesinghe gather outside his official residence as a police commando stands guard in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. Sri Lanka's president suspended Parliament even as the prime minister he fired the previous day claimed he has majority support, adding to a growing political crisis in the South Asian island nation. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

The Latest: Sri Lanka president cites Cabinet link to plot

Associated Press

Newly appointed Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, center, leaves a Buddhist temple after meeting his supporters in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has sacked the country's prime minister and replaced him with a former strongman, state television said Friday. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka’s crisis deepens as president suspends Parliament

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press

Sri Lankan family follow breaking news in television in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has sacked the country's prime minister and replaced him with a former strongman, state television said Friday. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka president sacks prime minister, appoints strongman

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press

In this photo provided by the United Nations, the United Nations Security Council meets on the situation in Mali, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018 at U.N. Headquarters. The U.N. has asked the government of Sri Lanka to immediately repatriate the commander of the country's 200-person contingent in the U.N. peacekeeping force in Mali following a review of his human rights background. (Manuel Elias/The United Nations via AP)

UN asks Sri Lanka to repatriate commander in Mali

By EDITH M. LEDERER - Associated Press

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2013, file photo, Maldives' newly elected President Yaamin Abdul Gayoom recites the oath during his inauguration in Male, Maldives. Gayoom, the brother of the Maldives' former authoritarian ruler, was sworn as the country's new president on Sunday, a day after his runoff victory capped a messy election that raised concerns that the tiny archipelago nation's new and fragile democracy was in jeopardy. (AP Photo/Sinan Hussain, File)

Maldives prepares for polls seen as test for young democracy

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI AND KRISHAN FRANCIS - Associated Press

Former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, center, rides on an open car during an anti government protest in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018. Thousands of Rajapaksa supporters attended a protest organized by a group of opposition law makers condemning the government. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lankan opposition protesters demand government step down

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press

Ranil Nanayakkara / British Tarantula Society Poecilotheria rajaei is a tarantula in the genus Poecilotheria endemic to Sri Lanka.

Endangered Sri Lanka tarantulas listing may reduces species

By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times

This undated photo made available Thursday July 26, 2018, by Dubai Police, shows a rare $20 million blue diamond confiscated by Police in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Dubai police say they've recovered a rare $20 million blue diamond stolen from a city company's vault and smuggled to Sri Lanka inside a pair of sneakers in a shoebox. (Dubai Police via AP)

Dubai police recover rare $20 million stolen blue diamond

Associated Press

Sri Lanka's former president Mahinda Rajapaksa gestures as he speaks during a media briefing in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Feb. 12, 2018. Former strongman Rajapaksa called for snap parliamentary elections after the party he fielded as a proxy swept local elections over the weekend in a major blow to the reformist government elected just three years ago. Rajapaksa said that the government had lost its mandate to govern and that the people must be given a chance to elect a new parliament. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka’s former strongman calls for snap elections

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press

Sri Lanka reinstated ban on selling alcohol to women

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press

Chinese couples attend a mass wedding ceremony in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017. Fifty Chinese couples were married at a mass ceremony in Sri Lanka's capital to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and to promote the island nation as a tourist destination.(AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

50 Chinese couples marry in Sri Lanka in mass ceremony

Associated Press

FILE - In this July 18, 2017, file photo, a Sri Lankan man known as Witness #199 shows the scars on his back during an interview in London. He is one of more than 50 ethnic Tamil men seeking political asylum in Europe, after they were, they said, abducted and tortured under Sri Lanka's current regime. Sri Lanka's defense minister denied Tuesday, Nov. 14, that his country committed torture and rape of suspected rebels, as charged by more than 50 Tamil ethnic minority men. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)

Sri Lanka official denies allegations of torture, rape

By JEREMY HAINSWORTH - Associated Press

In this July 18, 2017, photo, a Sri Lankan man known as Witness #199 shows the scars on his back during an interview in London. He has tried to commit suicide multiple times because of the traumatic memories of his rape and torture. Raped, branded and beaten repeatedly, more than 50 ethnic Tamil men seeking political asylum in Europe have come forward to say they were abducted and tortured under Sri Lanka’s current regime. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Sri Lanka govt faces pressure over torture, rape allegations

By JAMEY KEATEN & PAISLEY DODDS - Associated Press